THE STRIKE that floored Callum Mills on Friday night was a "silly move", in Tom Bugg's words. He should make his next move a smart one, because it is the only one left that will impact the Tribunal's decision on Tuesday night. 

Bugg's striking charge will be sent directly to the Tribunal on Monday with a likely grading from the Match Review Panel of intentional conduct and high contact to the head. 

Bugg in big trouble for striking young Swan

The smart move now for Bugg is to apologise for his actions in front of the Tribunal and show his remorse, allowing the panel of former players to include a one-match discount in his final penalty.

Bugg's actions are indefensible in the same way Barry Hall's were when he struck Brent Staker violently in round four, 2008.  

Hall knew he had no defence and pleaded guilty, receiving a seven-match ban. Bugg might be able to escape with five or six weeks if he does the same.

"It was a silly move by me. I've let my teammates down and I'll go away for whatever time I have off and train hard," Bugg said on Channel Seven on Friday night, in an indication he will make the smart move.

He also showed genuine remorse, saying: "It's disappointing he (Mills) could not the take part in the rest of the game. I hope he's OK. I tried to speak to him after the game … I just hope for him and his family that he gets better and he can play next week."

Bugg added that it was not his "genuine intent" to hurt Mills, but to argue when the Tribunal sits on Tuesday night that his actions were not intentional but careless would be a waste of time. It would also remove the possibility of a one-match discount. 

A six-match penalty for Bugg would be appropriate and the equal largest since Dean Solomon was handed an eight-match penalty for striking Geelong captain Cameron Ling in 2008.

It would match the penalty handed to Port Adelaide's Tom Jonas for planting an elbow into the back of Andrew Gaff's head in a marking contest in round nine last year, which was graded intentional conduct with severe impact to the head. 

Bugg's incident has also been compared to Bachar Houli's striking charge last round, given it has come just five days later and will be graded similarly.

Bugg hit on Mills a 'dog act', says Swan

But Houli had a genuine argument that his conduct was careless and not intentional. He failed to overturn that grading, but the Tribunal will surely take a dimmer view of Bugg's more blatant actions.

The 24-year-old has only been charged twice by the MRP for minor incidents – melee involvement and unnecessary contact with an injured player, resulting in $1200 and $1000 fines. 

This would only be dressing on Tuesday night though, with a guilty plea and remorse all that should matter to the Tribunal.

As Sydney coach John Longmire said: "Everyone saw it, the world saw it … we lost a player for 98 per cent of the game, which was disappointing".